Bestial Crystal Heroes
by Jack of all Fails
Summary: Set during Season 1; Sengoku Academy arc. A new Buddy Police officer joins the Cho-Tokyo force. With a mysterious flag and an unknown mission, what impact will he have on the slowly corrupting Buddy Police? And what are the higher powers that are unknowingly using him as a pawn in their game?
1. Shine, Crystal Castle!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Buddyfight. Trust me, you wouldn't want me to. :3**

 **Set around episode 32 of the first season. But will reference stuff in later seasons! Be warned, newcomers! Luckily, this chapter's got nothing major.**

* * *

 _Sometime in the past_

" _Your_ _Highness_. You summoned me?"

A beautiful castle, raised high atop a floating island.

"Our people are dying, _O Fanged One_."

From a distance, flawlessly perfect. Upon closer inspection, one can make out hairline fractures that seemed to create a web across the shining walls. Walls that seemed striking from afar were tragic up close, crumbled pieces that slowly danced in the breeze.

"Hmph. What do you mean?"

Towers that once rose high were now a shining field of sharp pieces that only promise pain to those that would traverse it.

"It is as I said. We cannot pretend to ignore this any longer."

The interior was not much better. Banners and paintings that line the walls seemed a mockery, depicting pristine, impregnable gates and beaming knights fighting against wild beasts. In the present, only collapsed hallways and unmoving statues guard the once proud ruler of this kingdom.

"… It is true that our world has lost the glory we were once known for."

The throne room was once a massive hall, able to house dozens upon dozens of citizens, all clamoring for even a glimpse of their mighty king. Now, it was buried under rubble, and the "throne room" was barely enough to hold maybe ten or twenty people.

"We have nothing but this crumbling castle and an empty city. We huddle behind these brittle walls, hoping that we, too, do not fall apart. We have no choice but to finally accept the fact that we must search for new places to rebuild."

The king was once an imposing figure, a gleaming golden beacon of light that led armies to victory. He fought with sword and shield, promising sanctuary from their wild aggressors. Now he sits, unable to continue defending the kingdom he swore to protect.

"…"

The king's mortal enemy was once the wild chieftain of a wild race. Fighting with claw and tooth, the bestial animal-like warrior would go days without rest to raid and attack the organized, civil kingdom. Now, he stands, his weapons already dust, beside his enemy. They are allies, now, in the face of the tragedy that has befallen their kingdom.

"I have heard of a place called Earth, where I believe we will find a way to save our people."

The wild warrior snorted, rolling his eyes. Despite this, hope finally shone in his dull golden eyes.

"I'm listening…"

* * *

 _Present Day, Cho-Tokyo_

" _*bzzt* … blockade is set up! He'll be forced to stop up ahead!"_

" _Good work, Stella! We've almost caught him now!"_

" _The criminal fighter is not here; repeat, the criminal fighter is not here!"_

" _What…!? How!?"_

" _I can't track his Buddy! They've managed to avoid detection!"_

"Heh heh heh… Those chumps fell for it! Sending Diatlus with the van made 'em think that I was in there with him… They'd never expect that I'd already escaped with some of the goods!" Kurooni Konmae, semi-known thief and part of the once-successful Three Brothers Konmae, gloated to himself as he stopped his slim, boringly mundane minivan, hefting a few large boxes over his broad shoulders. He, the largest and the most imposing of his family, did what his brothers had tried – and failed – to do: steal boxes of rare Buddyfight cards. By causing a distraction, he was able to escape undetected. He smirked, muttering under his breath, "They can't catch me now…"

"Buddy Police Barrier!" A shimmering orange field surrounded the warehouse. Kurooni's Core Gadget beeped, linking directly to the Buddy Police's network.

"Who's there!?" Turning around, Kurooni looked around for whoever snuck up on him.

"Hey, criminal fighter! You have two options: either give up or lose to me in a Buddyfight!" Standing atop the minivan was a black-haired man. Built with toned muscles and a larger than average body, he wore slightly baggy dark gray cargo pants and a sky blue vest over a buttoned up white dress shirt. The Buddy Police logo was proudly displayed on one of the pockets in the front of his vest. Regarding Kurooni with his silver eyes, he smiled, holding a silver Core Deck Case with blue trim.

"Tch!" Kurooni knew that he only had one choice: to Buddyfight. If he did, at least he'd be able to escape if he won. He pulled out his yellow and black Core Deck Case. "How'd you manage to find me so quickly?"

The man shrugged. "I got off my flight and saw you drive by." He held out his Core Deck Case and proclaimed, "Let's luminize and get this over with!"

" _Pierce and destroy my enemies' flesh! Luminize,_ _ **Gut-Wrenching Brute**_!" Kurooni's Core Deck Case transformed into his Core Gadget, becoming a metal loincloth-like armor attached to his body. He hefted a large blood-red flag depicting a scarred beast's face in front of a cross of drills and maces. "I fight for Danger World!"

" _Swarm, strike, and shatter!_ _Luminize,_ _ **Wild Crystalline Beasts**_!" The officer's Core Deck Case transformed into a single eyeglass that went over his left eye, the gem going over his ear, attached to a selection of buttons. He experimentally tapped a few, causing streams of data to appear on the glass. He stabbed a large banner onto the ground, which depicted a clean silver slash and jagged, scarlet claw marks over a picturesque golden castle, with three towers rising high to a floating crown. "My flag is the Crystal Castle! Now, let's go to work!"

* * *

Tsurugi Takihara flew as fast as he could towards where the Buddy Police Barrier was being generated, along with a few other officers. Ordered to go assist, Takihara and a few others went to provide backup. There was something suspicious about the situation, the first being that the officer currently Buddyfighting wasn't in their database.

He wasn't the only one curious enough to go investigate; the renowned child prodigy and Boy Wonder Cop, Tasuku Ryuenji flew up beside him, his golden Star Pulsar beside him. "Takihara," he greeted, "You're also on your way to this mystery Buddy Cop?"

"Yeah. Much as I'd like to believe it's just someone off duty, we can't afford to take any chances."

Tasuku nodded, turning his scarlet eyes back ahead of him, at the pillar of orange light.

* * *

"… and now, I attack you directly with Boulder Piercing Spear!" Kurooni jumped at the mystery officer, ready to stab him with a blue, three-pronged spear.

"Not so fast!" The man caught the spear with his own weapon, a knife that had a comb-like set of spikes jutting out of one of its edges, hooking it between two spikes. "I pay one gauge and increase my Swordbreaker's power! Then, I activate its second ability and destroy our items!" The two weapons glowed, disappearing in a burst of orange cards.

"Grr…! I end my turn!"

(Kurooni - Life/Gauge/Hand: 9/2/4; Monsters: Diatlus/None/Gaelcorga; Item/Set: None/None)

(? - 5/3/4; None/None/None; None/None)

"Draw! Charge and Draw!" The officer increased his cards and his gauge. (Gauge/Hand: 4/5)

"Time to counterattack! First, I call _Crystal Canine, Balto_ to the left! His ability allows me to add an item to my hand when he's called to the field!" To the left position, a slim wolf made of brown crystals appeared, flexing its clawed paws. It had a collar with a pocket, where it pulled out a card and tossed it to his fighter. (Size;Atk/Crit/Def: 1;2000/2/2000)

"I equip the item I just got: _Crystalarms, Twin Swords_!" A pair of short swords appeared in his hands, made of shining blue crystal. (Atk/Crit: 2000/1)

"Finally, I buddy call _Crystal Canine, Bolt_ to my right!" Using two gauge and placing two cards from the deck into the soul, lightning bolts revealed a strongly built, sharp-eared dog made of shining white crystal. A large crack was formed on one side, the crystal dark and dull, forming a dark bolt shape. (2;4000/2/6000)

"Now, attack the fighter Balto!" The brown wolf slashed viciously with his claws, dealing 1 damage. (Kurooni Life: 8)

"I'll attack next!" The officer ran up to the fighter and swung his weapon, hitting him directly. "And… Double Attack!" He swung his other sword, dealing another point of damage. (Kurooni Life: 6)

"Bolt! Attack the fighter!" The crystal dog barked, pouncing.

"Not so fast," Kurooni growled, holding up a card, "I cast _Battle Aura Circle_!" A red wall of energy swirled in front of him, blocking the dog. The shining dog growled and returned to his position.

"Then, I cast the spell _Now, Shatter_! I pay one gauge and destroy all cards on my field that have successfully dealt damage!" Using one gauge, the officer destroys both his item and Balto. Bolt, seeing the destruction, growled, sparking with energy, howling to the sky. "This activates Bolt's ability! When cards are sent to the drop zone on my turn, he gets to attack again, with Critical equal to the number of cards sent to the drop zone added to his Critical! That means he deals 4 damage!" The dog barked furiously, sending one gauge and one soul into the drop zone.

"Wh-what?" Kurooni braced himself for Bolt's second attack, being knocked back by the angry beast's charge. (Kurooni Life: 2)

"I end my turn." The officer smiled. "Your move."

(Kurooni – L/G/H: 2/2/3; Monsters: Diatlus/None/Gaelcorga; Item/Set: None/None)

(? – 6/0/2; None/None/Bolt; None/None)

"I'll finish you off in this turn! Draw, Charge and Draw!" Kurooni proclaimed, looking at his hand. (G/H: 3/4)

"I cast _One Oracle_! I send one card from the top of my deck to the drop zone, and if it's a monster, I deal one damage to you!" Kurooni discards the top card of his deck, revealing the monster _Axe Dragon, Dorcas_. He deals one damage. (? Life: 5)

"Hahaha, now you're dead meat! Diatlus and Gaelcorga, finish him off!" The two dragons jumped, charging at the officer. Combined, they had a critical of 5.

"I cast! _Crystal Spike Shield_! This neutralizes an attack and destroys the attacking monster if it has less than 3000 defense!" Paying one gauge, a wall of crystals came out of the ground, destroying Gaelcorga. Diatlus still lands its attack. (? Life: 3)

"Tch… Damn!" Kurooni had no choice but to end his turn.

(Kurooni – L/G/H: 2/3/3; Monsters: Diatlus/None/None; Item/Set: None/None)

(? – 3/0/1; None/None/Bolt; None/None)

"You got too cocky, thinking you could finish me off! Draw, Charge and Draw!" (G/H: 1/2)

"I equip _Crystalarms, Twin Swords_!" The two swords materialize in his hands again.

"Bolt, attack him directly!" The dog jumped, swinging its paw.

Kurooni looked at his hand cards. _*Damn… I don't have an item equipped!*_ he thought to himself, unable to use his counter spells. Bolt's attack lands. (Kurooni Life – 0)

" _Game End_. _Winner: Azure Cobalt_!" The automated voice was punctuated by Kurooni's Core Gadget sparking, breaking apart and automatically cancelling his Buddy Contract. The Buddy Police Barrier also came down, fading away. The bulky fighter stumbled back, ready to run.

"Not so fast, Kurooni Konmae!" Tasuku flew down behind Kurooni and handcuffed him, locking his arms in place. "You're not going anywhere!"

Takihara flew down, with the other officers taking the criminal away to be jailed.

"Oh, hey there! I was wondering when backup would arrive!" The mystery officer waved to the two, smiling.

"Who are you? You're not in our records." Tasuku didn't beat around the bush. He looked the man directly in the eye, face stern. He was definitely serious about his job.

The man's smile faded somewhat, his eyes becoming serious. He slowly put a hand to his vest and pulled out a Buddy Police badge. "My name is Azure Cobalt, and I'm a Buddy Police Special Operations officer, transferring over from America. I was forced to emergency launch against the criminal fighter, and as such haven't had a chance to get my information in the system. I'm here under orders from Commander I."

* * *

Azure's Crystal Card Collection:

Hey, everyone! It's Azure, here to tell you all about my special world, the _Crystal Castle_! These poor guys have lost almost everything, so they joined the Buddy Card office to try to negotiate a way for them to be saved by another world! It's sad, but I have hopes that they'll one day find someplace to call home!

Today's a special two-for-one deal! We have my Buddy, Bolt, and one of my favorite weapons, Swordbreaker!

 _Crystal Canine, Bolt_

 _Size: 2_

 _Type/Attribute: Monster/Crystal Beast_

 _Attack/Critical/Defense: 4000/2/6000_

 _World: Crystal Castle_

 _Flavor Text: "I'll avenge my comrades! That's the role that a hero plays!"_

 _Ability Text:_

 _* [Call Cost] Pay two gauge and put two cards from the top of your deck into this card's soul._

 _* [Counter] [Act] "Solemn Howl" If this card is in [Rest], you may one gauge and discard one soul. This card gains 1 critical and 1000 attack for every Crystal Knight, Crystal Beast, or Crystal Weapon cards sent to the drop zone from the field on this turn, until the end of the turn. [Stand] this card and perform an attack on the opposing player or the center monster._

 _* [Soulguard] [Penetrate]_

Bolt's a pal to his friends, so he gets all fired up when he sees them all down. He fights so viciously that he ends up losing some of his defense, but he makes up for it in sheer awesomeness! He pairs well with Crystal Beast cards, because those guys usually have a lot of effects that destroy their own cards. That's a bit brutal. But they're strong!

 _Crystalarms, Swordbreaker_

 _Type/Attribute: Item/Crystal Weapon_

 _Attack/Critical: 2000/1_

 _World: Crystal Castle_

 _Flavor Text: Catch the opponent's weapon in the comb, then, with a flick, watch the blade crumble._

 _Ability Text:_

 _* [Counter] [Act] You may pay one gauge and increase this weapon's Attack by 2000 until the end of the turn. This ability may be used once per turn._

 _* [Counter] [Act] If the opponent makes an attack with an item, this card is [Stand], and the Attack points of this card are equal to or greater than the attacking item's, you may send this card from the field to the drop zone and negate the attack and destroy the opponent's item._

Now, this card is pretty special! It's the kind of item that you _don't_ want to attack with. Rather, instead, you should keep it at the ready and counter if your opponent tries to attack with an item! Neat, huh? It's too bad that _Crystal Castle_ stuff tends to break easily…

* * *

Next time: What's this? There's a Disaster Force signal coming from Sengoku Academy!? Tasuku and Takihara launch to investigate, and Azure tags along for the ride! Tasuku can't use the Future Force!? And Azure can make the power of his cards real too!? The next chapter of _Bestial Crystal Heroes_ is: _The Power of the Special Operations Officer_! Join us for a Buddyfight!

* * *

 **A/N: Hey everyone! This be mah first published story on this site! Go wild, if ya want! Leave behind some feedback and tell me what ya thought about it.**

 **Crystal Castle is a spiffy new world that I thought up of. I'm sure you'll get to learn all about it as the story goes on. There's a lot to the history behind it, and the background makes references to later stuff in Buddyfight. Nothing you'd need to get concerned with now, but for veterans of the series, it'll definitely make the story much more rich and connected.**

 **Can anyone guess what the two shiny Crystal Beasts introduced here are named after?**


	2. The Power of the Spec Ops Officer!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Buddyfight; cuz that would be too cool for me.**

 **Now including Episode 32 spoilers!**

* * *

" _Buddy Skill on_!" Pairs of white crystals, shaped like jagged bolts, appeared on Azure's wrists and shins, allowing him to float upwards into the sky. He kicked his legs as if swimming before straightening them, flying straight upwards. He followed close behind Tasuku and Takihara, all three of them heading back to the Buddy Police HQ. He fiddled with his cell phone while in flight, sending his data via text.

"So," Takihara started, "you mentioned that you were with Spec Ops? What do you specialize in?"

Tasuku glanced at Azure, also curious. He was so focused on his duties as a normal Buddy Police officer that he'd had no time to really learn about the organization's many different branches and subdivisions.

Azure, startled, quickly looked up from his phone. He scratched his cheek, smiling awkwardly. "Ah, well… I can't really say. It's kinda classified until I get the OK from Commander I." He tapped his eyepiece Core Gadget, as if looking up something. "Uhm…" he looked at Tasuku, "You're that famous kid cop, Tasuku Ryuenji, right? Nice to meet you!"

Tasuku smiled a bit. "Nice to meet you too. It's rare that we get transfers from out of the country. I'm looking forward to working with you, Azure." He held his hand out, and Azure took it, shaking it firmly.

Tasuku let his mind wander to his work. While he did enjoy working as a Buddy Cop, lately he was starting to have doubts about the organization itself. It all started when the masked criminal "Wolf" attacked the Photon Metal mines, stealing a precious supply of the valuable metal. Photon Metal was one of the main components that went into creating a Core Deck Case, and with the supply that he stole, he could potentially have a dozen or so Core Deck Cases that were "off the grid", hidden from the Buddy Police.

There, Wolf displayed a unique power: to bring the power of his Buddyfight cards into reality. He called this power Disaster Force, and was able to wreak havoc on the security, easily destroying it. Tasuku was forced to use his own Future Force – which had a similar effect – to counteract it.

However, Tasuku knew that he hadn't officially obtained permission to use the destructive power, and when Sueroku Shido and Seiichi Nobari came to the office, things went downhill pretty fast. The examiner and the detective had both immediately capitalized on his usage of the Future Force to strip him of his status and effectively put him on probation.

While the Boy Wonder Cop did accept that he should be reprimanded for his use of the power, it seemed much more suspicious when he was once again forbidden to use his Future Force to save a cruise filled with hundreds of people from colliding with an iceberg. In a true life or death situation, with so many peoples' lives on the line, they chose to risk everyone dying instead of saving them?

Kyoya Gaen, head of one of the world's largest companies and major investor to the Buddy Card office, was on the cruise! If he had been harmed, the potential backlash could've spelled the end of the Buddy Police, starting with the people at the top!

And now… if Tasuku used the Future Force again, he would truly lose everything. He would be fired from the Buddy Police, his Buddy and Core Deck Case confiscated. He would no longer be able to bring criminals to justice, his only mission in life.

" _Takihara. Tasuku. Come in, this is Stella. Can you hear me?_ "

Shaking his head to clear his mind, the young officer answered his cell phone's radio. Stella Watson, the Buddy Police's chief analyst, looked at him over the video connection, eyes hardened with worry. Tasuku answered, "I hear you Stella. What do you need?"

" _We've detected a signal that matches the one that attacked the Photon Metal mines. Commander I wants Takihara to go investigate. And you too, Tasuku. We've cleared it with Nobari and Examiner Shido, so you're cleared to go investigate. But… you can't use the Future Force without proper authorization._ "

Tasuku nodded. "Alright. We're on our way." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. "Come on Jack! Let's go to work!" Emerging from the card in a golden light was a large green dragon with toughened scales and polished iron armor adorning its chest, shoulders, and head.

"Lead the way!" Findar the 100th, or, as he was more commonly known, Jack, was Tasuku's Buddy and closest confidant. In many ways, the older dragon was a father to him, caring for him ever since the accident that claimed his birth parents.

Tasuku nodded and looked at Takihara. "Let's go!" The brown-haired officer nodded and joined him.

Azure flew up beside them. "Wait! I'll come with you as well! You'll need all the backup you can get, right?"

Tasuku nodded. "Glad to have you."

All three officers flew off as fast as they could.

* * *

Shousetsu Kirisame was lost in his own mind. He felt the vaguest sense of awareness, knowing only the feeling of raw power flowing through his body. The Dark Core at his waist filled him with power far beyond his imagination, allowing him to make his cards become real. It was more than just a projection of light in the game; it was truly real, allowing him to become the strongest.

 _*I'm stronger than even Rouga! He thought that he could deny me this power, but I'm strong enough to control it! Hahahahahahaaaa!*_

In his hands, he had his Buddy, the unbreakable sword _Immortal Sword, Durandal_ , and the shield _Divine Protection, Prydwen_. The announcer girl came up to him, riding her Buddy's _Martian UFO, Takosuke_ 's UFO, exclaiming, "This isn't right! According to the official rules of Buddyfight, a player's not allowed to equip two items at the same time!"

Shousetsu looked at her, scowling. The half mask covering the right side of his face glowed ominously as he locked eyes with her. "Well, it's a good thing your rules don't apply to me, or my Dark Core! You're no longer needed! Get out!"

With dark power flowing through Durandal, he swung the sword, releasing a powerful shockwave. Eyes widening, the magenta haired girl barely dodged it, the shockwave flying past her and destroying a large section of the earth.

Panic seems to spread amongst the audience, no one believing that it could have been real. Shousetsu felt a barking laugh force itself up his throat. * _Strength is everything… This power is… Gh…!*_ His head hurt. A part of his mind felt resistant, appalled at the thought that he could have hurt someone. * _No… This power… Is for…_ *

A few monsters had congregated around him, demanding that he stop. Shousetsu cursed; he was too distracted by his pounding head to notice them appear.

There was purple haired demon wearing an open yellow sweater, with the hood pulled over his horned head, fire sparking in one of his hands. A mechanical ninja dressed in black, with silver pauldrons and a golden moon on his forehead, held the hilt of the sword over his back. A blue dragon wielding a winged staff, dressed in what appeared to be a graduation gown made of armor and a monocle over his right eye, looked slightly apprehensive about readying for a fight. And finally, a strange construct resembling a bird with blades for wings and made of a green-colored metallic substance floated, ready to fight.

A ways away, an orange dragon dressed in purple-highlighted armor brandished a large engine attached to three separate drills, the spinning tips pointing forward at Shousetsu. A boy dressed in a sun-themed shirt and jacket, with a sun-themed Core Gadget belt, held a sword whilst standing on a floating sun-themed hoverboard.

 _*No! Don't come close! I can't control myself!_ * Shousetsu almost called out, but the slight shift in the wind behind him forced his body into action. The ninja struck from behind, but was blocked by Prydwen, retreating away. Next, the staff-wielding dragon jabbed at him from the side, also being blocked by the shield.

Shousetsu's senses seemed almost too fast for the monsters' attacks. He swung Durandal at the dragon, causing him to back off. The demon almost blindsided him, his powerful kick smashing into Prydwen, sending waves up his arm as he barely managed to block it. Shousetsu knew without even moving that he already was far stronger than all the monsters combined.

"Enough of this!" Shousetsu sent another shockwave from Durandal at the blade-winged bird that was coming up for its attack.

"Ghhaaaaa…!" The bird was captured in the energy, screeching in pain. It reverted back into its card form. Swinging again, Shousetsu caught the ninja and the staff dragon in the blast. They, too, turned back into cards.

"Nin…!"

"I could use a hug!"

The demon barely missed with another kick, exposing his back. Shousetsu wasted no time and stabbed him through the back. "It wasn't supposed to go down like this!"

Below, the Buddies of the monsters cried out, all worried. They almost went to run and catch the falling cards, but stopped short, wary to get within range.

"Enough! Start fighting fair!" Shousetsu looked at the boy on the hoverboard, the one who called out to him. He was Gao Mikado, the Mighty Sun Fighter, and deeply devoted to his friends. Watching the monsters fail to defeat Shousetsu made his blood boil, and he prepared to fight. However, unlike the knight, Gao didn't have the ability to make his cards real. He might as well have been brandishing a stick of butter, as that would have been slightly more useful.

"I won't let you hurt Gao!" The orange dragon stepped in front of Gao, shielding him with his body. Shousetsu prepared to attack.

* * *

Moments earlier, Tasuku, Takihara, and Azure all flew close enough to see the knight starting his rampage.

"We're too late! Jack, let's go!"

"Prepare Buddy Police Barrier! Requesting permission to use force!" Azure, interrupting Tasuku, flew on ahead, his hand on his Core Gadget. He reached into a pocket in his vest and pulled a thin stack of cards out. "Bolt! Prepare to use your full power!"

"You got it, Azure! Go, _Crystal Evolution_!" One card from the stack came out, transforming into the white crystal dog, Bolt. Calling out, he started to transform. His frame seemed to expand from within, causing cracks to burst out from all across his body. His chest broadened, the crystal covering his chest splitting apart and revealing pale white fur underneath, becoming a metal vest that exposed Bolt's toned chest. His front paws massively bulked out and his paws transforming into hands, his crystal paws covering his now-dexterous hands. His legs stretched out, his paws becoming feet. His head seemed to split open, revealing the feral teeth that hid underneath the covering. The scar that had been on the beast's side was still there, characterized by a long black scar burnt into his flesh. "I! Am! _Avenger, Bolt_!"

Tasuku felt a powerful power radiating from the Crystal Beast. With a sharp gasp, he realized that the monster was able to use his full power at will. _*How is that possible? The Buddy Card office strictly regulates all monsters; even those that join the Buddy Police can't use their full power! It's only through my Future Force that I can give Jack and my cards their power! Wait… Is it possible that Azure also…*_

" _Permission to use force granted_. _I'm counting on you, Azure_." Commander I, the chief of the Buddy Police force in Cho-Tokyo, called through the line that the officer had opened.

"Good!" Azure nodded, looking back, "You two, go and check on the civilians! I'll take on the criminal fighter!"

"Understood," Takihara nodded. Tasuku made a motion to follow after Azure, but was stopped by Takihara's hand on his shoulder. The older officer whispered, "Tasuku, he's got it under control. We need to check on the bystanders."

The young cop shook his head, trying to process all this. His strong desire to be on the front lines, sacrificing himself for the sake of everyone else, almost made him use his power anyway, but then he looked down. Where the crater that Shousetsu's shockwave hit, he saw a few people on the ground unconscious.

* _I don't_ fight _to bring enemies to justice; I_ shield _the innocent from the harm that a criminal can cause._ *

"Alright. Let's go, Takihara." Tasuku flew down, already requesting a medic from HQ. He had a job to do, and he believed in Azure to do his job too.

* * *

Azure pulled out a card. "Equip _Crystalarms, Halberd_!" A long polearm appeared in his hands, the blade at the tip a combination of axehead and spearpoint. "Remember, Bolt; non-lethal attacks only!"

Shousetsu had his back turned, screaming at some person standing on the balcony to a large building. Azure used that opening to smash the flat of his weapon into his back, knocking him down. He chased after the falling boy, preparing for a follow-up attack.

The knight landed on the ground feet-first, not feeling the impact. He flew straight up with the power of his Dark Buddy Skill and swung Durandal, slicing right through the halberd. It shattered into small pieces, floating in the air.

* _What…? That's some insane power! No one should have that kind of strength!_ *

Before Shousetsu could follow up with a second swing, he was kicked in the side. Bolt flew up beside Azure, asking, "You okay?" He idly looked at his Buddy, inspecting him for wounds.

Azure nodded, checking the data scrolling on his eyepiece. "He's _far_ stronger than we expected. We need to finish him quickly."

* * *

Below, the fallen Buddy monsters had recovered and reunited with their Buddies. Everyone watched the fight curiously, talking with each other.

"Woah, yo, this guy can also make his cards real too!?" Tetsuya Kurodake exclaimed, falling backwards into the arms of his Buddy, _Demon Lord, Asmodai_. The normally bubbly and optimistic dancer seemed in awe at the raw power on display. He ran a hand through his hair, brushing the bananas that magically grew from his head.

The purple demon shook his head, supporting Tetsuya with one arm as he cradled the unconscious blue dragon in his other arm. The blue dragon, _Dragowizard, Axia_ , was transformed into a smaller, less threatening form, known as the SD form. "Doesn't look like it, Tets. From what I can tell, it's not a power that he has. It's coming from the cards themselves."

"What do you mean by that?" Zanya Kisaragi glanced at the demon lord, standing protectively in front of his younger brother Akatsuki, his Buddy _Nanomachine Ninja, Tsukikage_ on his shoulder, also in SD form. "It's almost the same thing, isn't it?" The older brother's perfectly pressed formalwear made him seem out of place compared to his younger brother, dressed in near full-body dark blue ninja garb.

"Not exactly. Shousetsu's using a power that lets him make his cards real. When they're knocked away from him or destroyed, they just turn back into cards. But the other guy's power is all in the cards, so when they're destroyed, that's it."

"What happens if he runs out of cards?" Kazane Fujimiya, buddy to _Bladewing Phoenix_ , exclaimed, nursing the unconscious bird in its smaller SD form. She pet the small bird, her sky blue sweater wrapped around him, her eyes only showing concern for her Buddy.

"If he runs out… Then that's it for him."

Everyone remained silent. They watched the fight with bated breath, not knowing whether to root for their friend-turned-evil or the mystery officer.

Baku Omori had his signature case full of cards open, flipping through all of the cards. Kuguru Uki had her tablet on, scrolling through as much information as she could, one hand resting on the pullstring of her hair lamps. Both were intensely focused on one thing: the mystery of the cards that the man used.

* * *

Small crystals glittered in the air, the remains of many different weapons that Azure tried to use. The black-haired fighter was breathing heavily, already running low on energy. * _This kid has unending reserves of stamina…_ *

"You can't defeat me!" Shousetsu gripped Durandal with both hands, sending a shockwave at Bolt.

"Your attack won't work!" The anthro dog clapped his hands together, energy coalescing between them. The outline of a card seemed to shimmer in the air around his fingertips. "Cast, _Reflect Shard_!" Some of the broken crystal around them collected into one large piece, taking the full force of the shockwave. As the large shard cracked, the attack was split apart, flying towards the ground harmlessly.

Azure struck from behind, managing to hit Shousetsu with the flat of _Crystalarms, Twin Swords_ ' two swords. Shousetsu stumbled, off balance. "I'll keep him busy! Bolt, finish him!"

"Already on it!" The energy gathered in Bolt's hand got stronger. "I can't believe that I have to use this power!" He slowly pulled his hands apart, revealing a golden card. "Reveal! _Trap Set: Arrows in the Walls_!" Small magic circles appeared to Shousetsu's right, besieging him with small arrows. After being barraged by the entire spell, he collapsed.

Shousetsu felt like he could breathe again. The Dark Core, the source of the corrupted power flowing through him, had been hit by the spell and shattered. His eyes were closed, his throat sore from screaming, his arms sore from holding Durandal so tightly. He knew he was falling, but he couldn't move a muscle.

 _*Ha… It seems… I'm weak of heart… I've much… to learn… still…_ *

He felt someone grab hold of him. But he could not stay awake much longer. He lost consciousness.

* * *

Azure's Crystal Card Collection:

Today's card of the day is…

 _Arrows in the Walls_

 _Type/Attribute: Spell/Crystal Knight_

 _World: Crystal Castle_

 _Flavor Text: The eastern hallways have pressurized plates that release arrows from the walls._

 _Ability Text:_

 _* You may only play this card if it is in the soul of a card with "_ Trap Set _" in its name._

 _* [Cast Cost] [Pay two gauge]_

 _* [Counter] If a monster with 3000 or less Defense is called to the left or right position, you may activate this card. Destroy the monster and deal damage equal to the size of the monster to the card's owner._

It's a Crystal Knight spell! Bolt has some reservations about using it, since Beasts and Knights were once mortal enemies, but he'll use it in a pinch. However, Crystal Knight cards focus on having a really tough defensive line, which really doesn't mesh well with Crystal Beasts…

* * *

Next time: Wolf makes an appearance! And he's got the same power that Shousetsu did! He demands that Tasuku fights him! With Azure busy interrogating Shousetsu, the young Buddy Cop is forced to make a difficult choice! And there's a mysterious power that works behind the scenes, taking an interest in Azure! The next chapter of _Bestial Crystal Heroes_ is: _Don't use the Future Force! Wolf vs Tasuku_! Join us for a Buddyfight!

* * *

 **A/N: Oh damn! It's a Chapter 2! Sorry for the lack of actual Buddyfighting in this chapter, there's gonna be more later, I promise!**

 **Here's where the story might get interesting! Things have diverged a bit already, with Azure fighting Shousetsu in place of Tasuku, but the bigger plot point is in whether or not Tasuku uses the Future Force while at Sengoku. The direction this story goes in depends on the next chapter, so don't miss it!**


End file.
